WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Children across the region are taking a new friend home Tuesday.
The United Way of Washington County, Tennessee is distributing 5,000 teddy bears to students all across the county and Johnson City schools.
It is a part of a campaign with the United Way and national companies Renuzit and Snuggle to promote childhood literacy.
The bears are reading buddies for children in kindergarten through third grade.
The students are encouraged to read aloud to the bear for a few minutes each day.
"We told them two things. They've got to have lots of snuggles. They have to be read to every night," Kristan Spear said. Spear is the president and CEO of the United Way of Washington County, Tennessee.
"If they don't have somebody at home that can read to them or they can read to, they now have a buddy, a reading buddy, they can share a story with every night. It not only helps them to read, but it helps them with public speaking skills. It helps with their confidence," Spear said.
The United Way of Washington County also operates a virtual volunteer reading support for 300 children. The program allows students to have one-on-one tutoring in a digital setting through e-books.
